Villa Grimani Valmarana Calergi in Noventa Padovana

Veneto is undoubtedly the region of Villas, magnificent resorts and ancient places of idleness for Venetian nobles.

Yet their origins are not always linked to this purpose. Such is the case of Villa Grimani Valmarana Calergi in Noventa Padovana. Located along the Brenta River, Noventa Padovana was a strategic outpost for the defence of the eastern side of Padua... In the place where the villa now stands there used to be the fortress of the Da Noenta family, subsequently enlarged and transformed into a castle by the Delesmanini, a rich and powerful family in Padua.

Alberico da Romano, brother of the famous Ezzelino, spent the night in the castle when the Paduans locked him out of the city, while in 1239 Agnes, wife of Emperor Frederick II, stayed here. Years later Ezzelino, jealous of the power of the Delesmanini family and after having taken prisoner Artusio Delesmanini, ordered the dismantlement of the castle.

From the fifteenth century onwards the property passed to various Venetian families, the Trevisan, the Erizzo and then the Grimani, who owned the house for almost 220 years - from the sixteenth well into the eighteenth century - marking an important period for the construction of the building and arrangement of its garden. After the Grimani, the property passed to the Vendramin Calergi, who competed extensive restoration work of the villa and commissioned Andrea Urbani to paint what would become a famous series of frescoes on the main floor, where there are also three paintings by Giambattista Tiepolo.

The last heir, Elena, married conte Andrea Valmarana, left the villa and its assets to the Municipality of Noventa Padovana.

Today the villa is managed by the 'Pia Fondazione Elena Vendramin Calergi Valmarana', which looks after deaf-mute people.

If you are interested in Venetian villas, we recommend our private tour of the Villas of the Brenta Riviera departing from Venice... Villa Grimani Calergi Valmarana is not included, but you can visit other great homes of the past such as Villa Pisani and Villa Foscari nicknamed 'La Malcontenta'.